On Monday the FIA revealed that from now on the final race of the season would be worth twice as many points as the rest of the races "in order to maximise focus on the championship until the end of the campaign". Under the new rules, next year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will award 50 points instead of 25 to the winner, 36 instead of 18 for second place, 30 instead of 15 for third and so on throughout the top ten.

Vettel, who would have still won this year's title in India under the system but would have missed out on his 2012 title, made clear he was against the idea by suggesting it would not be accepted in football.

"Imagine it, at the last Bundesliga match there would suddenly be double points," he was quoted by Sport Bild. "This is absurd and punishes those who have worked hard for a whole season. I'm fond of the old traditions in Formula One and do not understand this new rule."

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko told Sport Bild the original plan had been to offer double points at the final four races, adding that his team was against the proposal.

"At first it was planned that double points would be awarded for the last four races," he said. "Then the world championship up to that point would have been almost useless. "